The Folio Society

The Folio Society crafts some of the most beautiful editions of the world’s great books, illustrated and designed to be heirlooms. When Tom&Co. brought me on, the business faced a pivotal moment: its brand prestige and artisanal product quality were unmatched, but its digital storefront no longer reflected the same standard of craft and emotional resonance. 

THE CHALLENGE

Folio’s website served a fiercely loyal collector audience, but it under‑engaged emerging buyers and younger book lovers. We were challenged to:

1. Elevate discoverability of Folio’s rare editions without stripping the brand of heritage and trust
2. Bridge generational tastes — maintain reverence for craftsmanship while feeling fresh and inspiring
3. Increase conversion efficiency on a complex e‑commerce journey tied to high‑value purchases
4. Reduce friction on key user paths, from discovery to checkout

MY ROLE

I served as the principal designer on The Folio Society redesign, working closely with the creative lead while managing all client communications and overseeing the end-to-end design process. From initial discovery through to final delivery, I ensured that every design decision aligned with both user needs and the brand’s heritage. The design I led directly contributed to an 8% uplift in turnover and earned recognition at the 2025 E-commerce Awards for Product Innovation and Site User Experience, demonstrating the tangible commercial and experiential impact of a strategically driven, user-focused design approach.
 

THE WEBSITE 

The Folio Society

Winner of 2025 E-commerce Award

RESEARCH & DISCOVERY

We kicked off with a research phase tightly anchored in real‑world behaviour data:

1. Heat mapping and session analytics to understand friction and drop‑off
2. Funnels and engagement metrics from Google Analytics
3. UX/UI workshops with stakeholders 
4. Competitor benchmarking in luxury retail and premium publishing
5. Identification of A/B testing opportunities across navigation and search.

INITIAL EXPLORATIONS
During and after workshops we iterate on additional components and design templates, improving and reworking designs around client feedback. 

THE SOLUTION

The overall solution included:
1. A digital style guide to unify tone, typography, iconography and UI systems
2. Structure designed for confident exploration
3. Tailored experiences catering to both occasional buyers and loyal customers.
4. Component systems that support storytelling and commerce performance

Winner of E-Commerce Awards 2025

The judges praised our entry as “well-rounded, with strong evidence of product
innovation, site UX and a consistent feedback loop driving continuous improvement.
A clear strategic vision and strong team culture really comes through.".

"Substantially improved design, if I’m being honest."
—Silvanus350

"Folio refreshed their website design today for the first time in years...Much better organized, imo."
—HonorWulf

"...Very cool redesign. Feels fresher, more modern." —CnelAurelianoBuendia

Interested in working together?
Get in Touch!

Email: heinze.heike@gmail.com
Twitter: @bonjour_heike